Help Pip get his mojo back!

Pip is my 13 year old, handsome, chubby, hairy, little man. He has been by my side through thick and thin. He has seen me at my worst and at my best! He is the sweetest, most loving, and loyal kitty I have ever met. He knows when I am sad, and comforts me by trying to pet me. Unfortunately his velociraptor talons don't feel too loving, but I grin and bear it. He knows when I am sleepy and will come steal my pillow, immediately purring and demanding cuddles. He made the trek from California to Texas with me when I made the biggest decision of my life to date. This big lug has forever changed my life for the better. Now I need to change his. 

Pip, or Mini, as he's better known, has been a hefty fella since, well, birth. When he was a kitten the vet said to me, "Look at that paw! He is going to be a big boy." Well, he wasn't joking! My little furball swiftly turned into a ginormous kitty nugget, reaching 23lbs!
Recently though, he stopped eating. That is VERY unlike him. Next thing I knew, he was hiding under my bed, not coming out for hours or even a full day. He started making all kinds of very odd sounds and gestures while attempting to eat, and eventually, even when not eating. Once I realized that this wasn't getting better, I took him to the vet. As it happens, Mini has a severe oral infection, ranked a grade IV (the worst). He needs a minimum of six of his largest teeth pulled. He also has a very large mass on his neck that bleeds profusely. It is unknown at this point what the mass could be. A hematoma, a tumor, cancerous... We aren't sure. The vet tried to extract cells from it but there was too much blood present so the sample wasn't able to be read properly.

Mini is now down to 17lbs. He was given a high-dose antibiotic shot to help the oral infection, which has allowed him to eat wet food in small doses (eating half the amount of food of a normal, healthy kitty). He is no longer hiding, and he is extremely loving. However, this is only temporary. His teeth to be removed immediately, as the infection could potentially turn fatal. While he is under, he will undergo a biopsy of the large mass as well. The mass could be a tumor effecting his thyroid, which would explain his abnormal weight. Or, he could have diabetes or a thyroid problem, aside from the mass. The mass could also be cancerous. 

What Pip needs is YOUR help to get the oral surgery he needs! An eating kitty is a happy kitty! The oral surgery is step one in giving him a long, healthy life, allowing him to eat, eat, eat! Just like he loooves to do. From there, we can decide our next step. Thank you so much for stopping by and reading our story! Mini and I say thanks a billion :)